Your UTI Questions Answered
- Posted on: Jan 19 2023
Feeling some burning down there? Are you urinating frequently? These are a couple of common signs of a urinary tract infection. Anyone can get a urinary tract infection but they are more common among women due to female anatomy. Some healthcare providers consider them the most common type of infection. So, what do you do if you are experiencing these symptoms? How can you make them go away? Read on to learn more about urinary tract infections and what to do if you have one.
What is a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)?
A urinary tract infection is often referred to as a UTI. This is a general term used to describe an infection anywhere in the urinary system. This could be anywhere from the kidneys, ureter, bladder, or urethra.
What causes a UTI?
UTIs are caused by bacteria and sometimes fungi that have gotten into the urinary system. These invaders usually get into the urinary system through sexual activity, wiping your genital area from back to front, poor hygiene, and urinary structural issues.
What are the signs and symptoms of a UTI?
Symptoms of a UTI will vary depending on the person. Some people may have no symptoms at all. The most common symptoms include burning pain with urination, frequent urination, urge to urinate, blood in the urine, abdominal / pelvic pain or cramping, cloudy urine, foul-smelling urine, fever, and flank pain.
How is a UTI treated?
A UTI is an infection which requires antibiotics to be cured. If you do not get treatment the infection could spread to other parts of your body and you could be hospitalized.
What do I do if I have a UTI?
You should see your healthcare provider whenever you think you have a UTI. The treatment for a UTI is antibiotics. UTIs can be caused by many different types of bacteria and fungi. Your healthcare provider should ask you to complete a urine test, which will determine which specific bacteria or fungi are causing your infection. It is necessary to complete the urine test to make sure that the antibiotic they prescribe will treat your specific infection. There are different antibiotics to treat different types of bacteria. If you don’t receive the correct antibiotic your infection will continue and spread.
Can I treat a UTI at home?
Unfortunately, you cannot treat a UTI at home. The only cure for a UTI is the correct antibiotics. In order to get a prescription for antibiotics, you will need to see a healthcare provider. Antibiotics are not available for purchase over the counter and you should not take someone else’s antibiotics or leftover antibiotics from a previous infection. It is important that you seek medical care for UTIs because the infection could spread to other parts of the body.
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Posted in: Women's Health